The deep burgundy sheets draped over her lithe frame, the satin tenderly protecting each inch of her naked flesh. Disarrayed pillows lay shoved near the dark cast iron headboard, their lumpy comfort unnecessary during the passion filled night. A pale, willowy arm had escaped the protected cover to reach for the empty spot which Gomez had inhabited only minutes before. Her skin absorbed his lingering heat desperately, as a chill suddenly possessed the room. Even in her slumber, Morticia was effortlessly enigmatic. Dark lashes lay gently on pale cheeks mimicking the way her disheveled raven hair was fanned out over the seductive fabric underneath her. Somehow her ivory skin turned two shades lighter, parts of her flesh were diaphanous, exposing coursing veins beneath the thin surface.
"Morticia"
Her name filled the air, voiced by one that was voiceless. His eerie breath attacked her cheek as if adorning her with fervent kisses. In her sleep she shivered, eager to protect herself from the sudden discomfort. Her skin was pebbled, a sensation that was well known from her lover's skilled touch, but now it was birthed from the unearthly cold.
"Morticia"
Her brow furrowed, her sleeping brain trying to comprehend the calling of her name. The dark, cold mass hovered over her frame, only inches away from feeling the soft porcelain of her skin. She was motionless, trapped in her dream state. It was where she was most vulnerable, where he could make his presence known. In her dreams, the veil between his world and hers was lifted. Again, he called her name. It was too real, making her surrender her slumber and begin her return to her life. Quickly, he shrunk away from her waking figure.
Her eyes fluttered open, still suffering from the fatigue of rigorous love making mixed with a poor night's sleep. Blue pools grew deeper in hue with each clearing blink. They scanned the room for the familiar silhouette of her Castillian husband whom she had assumed had drawn her from her dreams. When he was nowhere to be seen, a small smile spread her ruby lips. Gomez was nothing if not creative.
"Darling," she called. "Isn't it a little early to be playing such games?"
There was no answer, not even a snicker indicating where Gomez might be hiding. With a delicate sigh, Morticia stretched out her arms, momentarily admiring the overwhelming black diamond that called her finger home. Sitting up right, she glanced around the room trying to find spots where her husband could be hiding. She paid no attention to the fact that she was exposed to the chilly air, the sheet having fallen in a pool on her lap.
"Gomez?"
She hoped to coax him out, still reluctant to desert their bed. Silence was her only response.
"Darling, why don't you just come to me? We can play games later."
Morticia was certain that would lure her mischievous love out. Gomez was always quick to take any invitation his wife offered, still he did not come. That was when Morticia noticed her breath. Her heart pounded in her chest despite her not understanding why. It was as if her body knew something her mind didn't, and it was urging her to figure it out. Ignoring her frozen flesh, Morticia tried to convince herself she was still a surprise participant in Gomez's game. Rubbing her hands over her arms, she glanced to the floor beside the bed. Maneuvering so that she lay on her stomach, she readied herself to look underneath the bed. Slowly she inched her way down, her raven hair revealing her plan as it cascaded unashamedly ahead of her to tickle the ground. She expected to feel a firm grasp possess her tresses, yet there was nothing. Again, she felt her heart mercilessly palpitate. Time froze as her eyes crossed the final barrier between the mattress and what lay beneath.
There was nothing, Morticia stared at a dust covered floor. She pulled herself up, leaning against the pillows as she re-covered herself. Her mind convinced her that she was just replaying her husband's cries of passion in her sleep. It was all imagined by the desire that heated her full heart, she told herself.
Gripping the sheet for warmth, Morticia noticed her fingers turning a light shade of blue. It was so odd that their room would be so cold. She glanced at the thick tapestries draped over the wall, never had the freezing temperatures been able to penetrate their medieval protection. Frustrated at the lack of her husband's warmth, she got out of bed. Mindlessly, she reached for her black dressing gown. The fabric took the place of her recently deserted bedsheet, covering her flesh with its silken touch. Long fingers smoothed her wild hair before she opened the door. As soon as she entered the hallway, she could feel the substantial difference in temperature.
"Querida!" Gomez exclaimed as he captured her in his arms. "I was just coming to see if you were still sleeping, angelita mia."
"Darling, I had the strangest dream. You were calling for me repeatedly."
"I was?"
"It was so real, it woke me up. I thought you were playing a game with me."
Gomez pulled her closer, his breath warming her cold cheek. "I'd like to play with you." He huskily whispered, crushing her against himself. She melted into the heat radiating from his skin.
"Darling" she purred happily as she caressed the side of his face.
Suddenly, Gomez's face grew worrisome.
"Do you feel a draft?"
Morticia glanced back to their open door, and for a second she thought she saw a shadow move just out of her view.